Electric railway



(No Model.) 6 SheetsSheet 1;

P. W. LEPPLER. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 514,561. Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

w/wwimc M w W (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. LEFPLER. ELBGTRIGRAILWAY.

Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

Jay-2r;

Wim 1 (K0 Model.) 6 Sheets8heet 4.

P. w. LEPFLER. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

.561. Patented Feb. 13, 1894;

Jig. 1". I

Wi M55585. Q. aawfl.

(No Model.) GSheets-Sheet 5.

. P. 'W. LEPFLER.

. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 514,561. Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet e. P. W. LBFFLER. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

No. 514,561. Patented Feb. 13, 1894.

Nrriin STATES ATEN'T FFICE.

PAUL W. LEFFLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LEFFLERELECTRO MAGNETIC RAILWAY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,561, dated February13, 1894.

Application filed May 13, 1893. I Serial No. 414,098. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL W. LEFFLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricRailways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to electric railways, of the kind shown anddescribed,in my pending application, Serial No. 452,799, filed of dateNovember 22, 1892; and has for its object to provide certainimprovements in the said system, with a view of simplification andincreased efiiciency.

The invention is especially directed to the mechanism forchanging thepolarities of the several coupled series of magnets constituting thenon-rotating armature carried by the car; and it consists broadly in arotary pole changer operated by the field magnets, and serving to changethe polarity of the said several coupled series of armature magnets insuccession. This rotary pole changer is composed of a commutator locatedin the connections to said armature magnets, and. a magnetic controlleroperated by the field magnets and driving the commutator.

The specific construction of the device will be hereinafter fullydescribed.

The novel features of the invention will be defined in the claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, likeletters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure 1is a view in left side elevation, some parts being removed and othersshown in diagram only, illustrating a car, as equipped with myimprovement. Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of the rotary pole changerin its seat, on a part of the car detached, and shown on a larger scalethan in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail in front elevation of the brushes andcontact pieces, shown at the front end of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail inrear elevation of the brushes and contact pieces shown at the rear ofFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the rotary pole changer detached, withsome parts of its frame removed. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal verticalsection of the rotary pole changer detached, on the line X X of Fig. 2,the frame being removed. Fig. 7 is a detail in elevation, showing theparts of-the commutator spread apart from each other. Fig. 8 is a viewof the pieces, shown in Fig. 7 opened up and laid down fiatwise, withtheir engaging surfaces uppermost. Fig. 9 is a detail,showing themagnetic controller detached, the supporting shaft being shown insection, and some of the parts removed.

Fig. 10 is a detail in cross section, showing a' modified form of theinsulation between the pole pieces of the commutator. Fig. 11 is adiagram. view, showing the relations of the magnets of the field, andthe magnetic controller. Fig. 12 is a diagram view illustrating themanner in which the magnets of the non-rotating armature, are connectedup in series. Fig. 13 isa detail in end elevation of one of theinsulating partitions p which separates the interlocking edges of thepairs of interlocking terminal pieces p from each other; and Fig. 14 isa vertical section of the same, taken on the line 00 0: of said Fig. 13.

0. represents part ofthe field magnet conduit, the other parts beingremoved.

1) represents the field magnets rising from the common soft metal baseplate or yoke 12, resting on the floor of the conduit. The adjacentmembers of the field magnetsb are so wound, that they will be ofopposite polarity. The said field magnets are in electrical connection,with a source of electricity at the central station or elsewhere, bymeans not shown.

0 represents magnetic switch boxes located in the line of travel, andwhich co-operate with switch magnets 0', carried by the card. For thepurposes of the case the functions of these magnetic devices, 0 and 0,need not appear, as the same form no part of mypresent invention.

g are magnets depending from the yoke or base plate g, which parts,taken together, constitute the non-rotating armature carried by the carand moving in the field of ,the magnets 19. The said non-rotatingarmature is carried by spring seated hangers 9 depending from thecar-axles. The yoke-plate g is extended beyond the magnets g ateach end,for co-operation with the brass facing strip 9 to form seats for some ofthe other operative parts of the mechanism. Thearmature magnets g arearranged and connected up in several coupled series. The manner in whichthese magnets g are coupled up in series, is illustrated in diagram inFig. 12, in which figure g represents the coupling wires. Thearrangement of the said arma ture magnets g, with respect to the saidfield magnets b, is such, that the forces of attraction and repulsionwill co-operate to propel the car in a common direction. lVhen the caris in motion, the said armature magnets g are constantly in circuit withthe storage battery f, through a combined regulating and reversingdevice h h and my improved rotary pole changer, which will be presentlydescribed.

The combined regulating and reversing device hit, is shown in diagramonly, the part it representing the box, on the end of the car,containing the resistance and reversing contacts, and the part itrepresenting the single hand lever, for controlling the same.

All the parts so far noted, with the exception of the rotary polechanger, are substantially identical with the construction fully setforth and described in my hereinbefore identified pending application;and any further detailed description of the same is not deemednecessary, for the purposes of this case.

The field magnets 19 are, as hitherto intimated, excited, when incircuit, with a con- 1 stant polarity, as indicated b the signs on thedrawings. Hence, for the successful operation of my system, it isnecessary to change the polarities of the several series of armaturemagnets g, on passing the dead centers with the field magnets 19. Myimproved device for this purpose will nowbe' described, attention beingfirst given to the commutator. In bearing lugs k of a frame It isjournaled a shaft 19, which carries the parts of the rotary polechanger. On the shaftp and insulated therefrom are mounted,side-by-side, four double segmental terminal pieces or plates 10'. Allfour of these double segments are cut awayat theircentral portions, asclearly shown in Figs. 7 and 8. When put together on the shaft 1), thetwo central members of said plates-p have socket and socket-seatengagement, as shown at m and are insulated from each other at all otherpoints; and each of the said central members interlocks with theadjacent outside member and is insulated therefrom, at all points. Whenthus put to- 'gether, the two sets of interlocked members will form apair of cylinders, the adjacent peripheral segments of which, lengthwiseof the. shaft 19, form the co-operating contact surfaces -for thecommutator-brushes, as will more fully hereinafter appear. The innerpair of said terminal pieces 10, have electrical contact, at the pointof their socket and socket-seat engagement m. The outer pair of saidterminal plates phfie contact through a yoke-piece 19 secured to and inelectrical contact with one of said outer pieces, by the screws m, andconnected with the other of said outer pieces by screw-bolts 10, passingthrough and insulated from one of the inner said plates 10 haveelectrical contact only through the bolt-screws 10 yoke-plate 10 andscrews m. It is therefore obvious, that the inner pair of said. plateswill be like terminals, marked in the drawings as the positive plates,and that the outside members,which interlock respectively, each withone, of the inner members, will also be like terminals,

marked in the drawings as thenegative plates.

The relative arrangement of the insulating material 19 when the partsare assembled is clearly shown in Fig. 6. Between each interlocking pairof the said terminal plates 19, towit: between each central member andthe adjacent outside member is placed a body of insulating material 19of the shape shown in Figs. 13 and 14, which is there shown de-- tachedfrom the pair of interlocking plates, shown at the right in Fig. 8.Asimilar body of insulating material 19 is shown in position, withrespect to the left hand outside terminal plate, at the left side ofFig. 6. These bodies of insulating material p are made of the propershape and are properly disposed, to permit the said terminal plates 10to be put together into working position, as hitherto described, and asclearly shown in Fig. 6, and to insulate the same from each other, atall points, except those hitherto noted, Where the necessary electricalcontacts are made between the pair of outside members and the pair ofinside members.

It is obvious, that the yoke-harp and boltscrews 19 not only serve togive the contact stated, between the outer pair of said terminal piecesp, but also serves to clamp and hold together all four of the saiddouble segmental terminal plates p'. The'said terminal plates 10arranged asj ust described, when taken together with the conductors forsupplying the current thereto and the brushes, (hereinafter to be noted)for co-operation with said pieces, constitute a commutator, foralternating the currents through the armature magnets g and changing thepolarities of the same. The said commutator is rigid with the shaftp andis driven by a magnetic controller also rigid with the said shaft, andconsisting as shown, of four radial magnets r on corresponding spokes ofa star-wheel r. The adjacent members of the magnets r of thiscontroller, are of opposite and constant polarity. This magneticcontroller is located on the shaft 19, abutting against but insulatedfrom the commutator above described. To the right of the controller onsaid shaft 19, and insulated therefrom and from each other, are locatedfour contact disks r and p. All the insulations for the commutator andthe controller are marked with the common letter 19 The controllermagnets r are wound with a common wire W, the terminals of which connectwith the contact disks W. The terminal piecesp are connected by crossrods 19 with the contact disks 1). These connections are insulatedwherever required, as clearly shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Thecontact disks r connect by brushes 4 and spring contacts r on the frameit with contact buttons 1"*, having connection through wires 0 with thestorage battery f. The contacts 11 connect by brushes p with springcontacts 19 which connect with contact buttons p 'united by wires 19,through the reversing and regulating device it h, with the said storagebattery The terminal pieces of the commutator connect bythree pairs ofco-operating brushes p and corresponding spring contacts 19 withcorresponding buttons 9 connected by wires p, with the several series ofcoupled magnets g of the non-rotating armature on the car.

The contact buttons 0' and p which form the terminals of the wires 1'and p from and to the storage battery f, are located in a vertical board0 held between the yoke-bar g and the strip g and the contact buttons1), forming the terminals of the wires 19 through the coupled series ofarmature magnets g, are carried on a similar vertical board It, alsoheld between the yoke-bar g and the strip 9 at' their forwardextensions. The said boards and k are spaced apart from each other, andtaken together with the yoke-bar g and the strip 9 form a seat for thepole-changerframe 76'. The said frameis removable from the said seat;and in virtue of the arrangement of the said contacts andcontact-buttons, when the frame is inserted in position, all the saidparts will be in operative contact. This is due to the fact that thespring contacts T 19, and p are engaged by the side boards of the seat,and forced into engagement with theirrespectivecontactpieces. Thesaidpole changer frame is held in position against a left end plate 20''(brass), by a pivoted door (brass) It, at the right end of said seat.

The pole changer frame It, is composed of suitable insulating material,such for example, as wood fiber or wood, and the brushes 19 pass throughthe same at different levels, and have contact with the terminal piecesin advance of each other, as shown in Fig. 2. Each co-operating pair ofbrushesp are side by side in adjacent lateral arrangement, and

on opposite sides of the projecting plate 10 working on the co-operatiugsegments of the laterally arranged terminal pieces 19.

With the construction described, it is obvious, that the. magnets r ofthe controller, are always in circuit, so far as the connectionsdescribed are concerned, with the storage batteryf, and will be excitedwith a constant polarity. It is also obvious, that the currents throughthe several series of the armature magnets g, will be reversed'everytime, that the brushes 19 pass from one pair of the peripheral segmentsof the terminal plates 19' to the next contiguous pair of saidperipheral segments. The three pairs of cooperating brushes p are allarranged within the arc of one segment of the circle formed by theterminal pieces. Hence, the alternations will take place in regularorder, as 1, 2, 3 and 1, 2, 3. Hence, in virtue of this fact, to securethe alternations in equal intervals of time, the saidpairs of brushesare arranged in the first three quarters of the segment, and at equaldistances apart. Supposing the car to be in motion, the magneticcontroller will be kept constantly revolving by the field magnets.Hence, the commutator, carried on the same shaft therewith, will keepalternating the current, through the several coupled series of thearmature magnets 9, thereby changing the polarities of the same asrequired.

Having regard to the relation of the field magnets 19, and the magnets rof the magnetic controller,it is necessary forthe proper action,

that the outer ends of the controller magnets 1" should be spaced apartdistances shorter than the distances or spans between the centers ofadjacent field magnets. The proper relation of these parts, maybe statedas follows, to-witz-If the axis of the controller be at a point mid waybetween two adjacent field magnets, then the span between the said twofield magnets will form the baseline, and the axes of the radialcontrollermagnets, produced, will form the legs of an isoscelestriangle, the altitude of which is equal to the height or verticaldistance of the axis of the controller from the face of the fieldmagnets. In other words, the axial lines of the controller magnets,produced, would strike the face centers of the said'adjacent pair offield magnets. This construction and arrangement of the said partscauses the lines of force to operate in the proper directions, forutilizing the maximum power of the magnets and for giving an equablemotion to the said controller and commutator driven thereby.

Referring to the diagram view, Fig. 11, the

full lines show the controller with its axis at the central or midwayposition between two adjacent field magnets, together with the directions of the axial lines of force from the field to the'lower pair ofthe controller magnets.

The dotted lines, show two of the intermediate positions assumed by thecontroller,'-in

4 Y Y i I -'5"14,5e1

passing from one field magnet to the other, together with the axiallines of force from the lower pair of said controller magnets to thesaid fieldmagnets, when in said intermediate positions. It the fieldmagnets should be improperly spaced,with respect to the controllermagnets, the motion of the controller, would be irregular. Suppose, forexample, that one of the adjacent pair of field magnets I), should be inthe position shown by the dotted line a. From an inspection of theindicated lines of force, on Fig. 11, it is obvious that an acceleratedmotion would be given to the controller. If the field magnets 5, hadbeen spaced too wide apart, say, for example, one of the said magnets 22was located at 2; then, the motion of the controller would be retarded,ascompared with the even motion given by the construction shown. Thismay be readily seen, by noting the lines of force, when the controlleris in its midway position. If the field magnets be properly spaced, thelines of force from the controller magnets, will intersect the centersof the field-magnets. If the field magnets be too close together, theaxial lines of the controller ma nets produced would overstep the facecenters of the field magnets; and if the field magnets be too widelyspaced, the said axial lines would not reach the faces of the magnets b.

By actual usage, I have demonstrated the practicability of theconstruction herein shown and described. The number of pairs of brushes10 will of course vary in number, according to the number of coupledseries of armature magnets g. In respect to the relative positions ofthese pairs of brushes 12 if the arc of the commutator segments orterminal pieces p, be conceived as spaced off into subdivisions, onegreater in number than the number of pairs of said brushes 11 then, thesaid pairs of brushes, if properly positioned, will occupy the advancesub-divisions of the common are of the said terminal pieces, as shown inFig. 2. In other words, these pairs of brushes p are spaced, one inadvance of the other, within the .arc of one of the segmental terminalpieces; and at such distances, that, under the rotary movement of thecommutator, the current will be reversed through said pairs of brushesat equal intervals of succession or time phases.

It will, of course, be understood, that variations may be made in manyof the details of construction, without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Theparticular insulations 10 between the peripheral segments of theterminal pieces may contain metallic wearing surfaces 25, as shown inFig. 10 of the drawings.

Although the parts 4" r are, in fact a species of armature and might becalled the pole changer armature, the term magnetic controller has beenapplied thereto, in order to better distinguish the same from thenon-rotating armature g What I claim, and desire to secure by LettersPatent of the United States,is as follows: 1. The combination with acar, or other traveling body, of field magnets in the line of travel, anon-rotating armature on the car, electric connections for the field andarmature magnets, and an automatic rotary pole changer carried bythecar, located in the connections to the armature magnets and operated bythe field magnets, substantially as described. 1 2. The combination witha car, or other traveling body, of the field magnets in the line oftravel, a non-rotating armature on the car, and an automatic rotary polechanger car'- ried by the car, consisting of a commutator in theconnections to said armature magnet, and a rotary magnetic controllerdriving said commutator and operated by said field magnets,

substantiallyas described.

3. The combination with a car, or other traveling body, of field magnetsin the line of travel, the non-rotating armature on the car, the rotating pole changer, comprising the'commutator in the con nections-to saidarmature magnets, and a magnetic controller carried on a common shaftwith the said commutator, and operated by said field magnets, to drivethe commutator, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the car, or other traveling body, of the fieldmagnets in the line of travel, the non-rotating armature on the car, andthe rotary pole changer on the car, consisting of the commutator in theconnections to the armature magnets, and the rotary magnetic controller,for driving the commutator, having its magnets located at points in themeet its periphery and subject to said field magnets, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with the car, or other traveling body, of the fieldmagnets in the line of travel, the adjacent members of which are excitedwith a constant and opposite polarity, the non-rotating armature on thecar, the rotary pole changer on the car, consisting of the commutator inthe connections to said armature magnets, and the magnetic con trollerdriving the commutator, the adjacent magnets of which controller areexcited with aconstant and opposite polarity, and subject to said fieldmagnets, substantially as described.

' 6. The combination with the car, of the field magnets in the line oftravel, the non-rotating armature on the car, and the rotary polearmature magnets, and the magnetic controller, for driving thecommutator, having radial magnets spaced apart at their outer endsdistances less than the spans between the centers of adjacent fieldmagnets, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination with the car or other traveling body, of the fieldmagnets in the line of travel, the non-rotating armature on changer onthe car, consisting of the commutator, for alternating the currentsthrough the the car, the rotary pole changer on the car, consisting of acommutator in the connections to the armature magnets, for alternatingthe current through the same, and the magnetic controller, for drivingthe commutator, having radial magnets spaced apart at their outer endsdistances less than the span between centers of adjacent field magnets,the said field and controller magnets, being so arranged that the axiallines of the controller magnets, produced, will, when the controller ismidway between any pair of field magnets, intersect the face centers ofsaid pair of field magnets, substantially as described.

8. The combination-with the car, of the field magnets in the line oftravel, the non-rotating armature on the car having its magnetsconnected up in several coupled series and the rotary commutator on thecar, operated by said field magnets, having cooperating pairs ofbrushes, with connections to said several coupled series of armaturemagnets, arranged in advance of each other on the commutator, wherebythe poles of said several coupled series of magnets will be reversed insuccession, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the non-rotating armature, having the severalcoupled series of magnets, of the commutator having the double segmentalpole pieces, the cooperating segments of which are in adjacent lateralarrangement, and the cooperating pairs of brushes, one pair for each ofsaid coupled series of armature magnets, arranged in advance of eachother within the arc of one segment of said pieces, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

10. The rotary pole changer consisting of the magnetic controller, thecommutator, the two pairs of contact disks, the common supporting shaft,circuit connections uniting the magnets of said controller with one ofsaid pair of contact disks, connections uniting the other pair of saidcontact disks with the terminal plates of said commutator, and suitableinsulations for all of said parts which require separation,substantially as described.

11. The commutator constructed of four interlocked double segmentterminal pieces, car: ried by a common shaft, and provided with suitableinsulations and circuit connection, the said terminal pieces beingarranged to form two complete cylinders, the laterally adjacent segmentsof which are of opposite polarity, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

12. The commutator constructed of four interlocked double segmentpieces, carried by a common shaft, and provided with suitableinsulations, the central members of which pieces have sleeve and socketengagement and contact with each other, and the outer members of whichpieces are connected together and to the central members, by a yoke-barcarried by one of the outer members and connected by screws to the otherouter member, said yokebar and screws being insulated from thecentralmembers, substantially as described.

13. "The combination with the pole changer seat on the car, havingcircuit connection contacts for the storage battery and the armaturemagnets, of the rotary pole changer frame inscrtible in and removablefrom saidseat, and provided with projecting spring contacts to thebrushes, engageable and disengageable with said circuit connectioncontacts in said seat, by the insertion or removal of the pole changerframe, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PAUL W. LEFFLER. Witnesses:

E. F. ELMORE, FRANK D. MERCHANT.

